Losing weight can be extremely difficult. It requires a rigid routine of exercise and specific diet limitations to really allow for long-term, lasting weight loss. However, as the struggle to get healthy has become a more mainstream issue, there have been more and more aids to assist in the process.
One of these aids is hypnosis. While it may seem like a strange concept, hypnosis to lose weight is actually a hot debate right now. And, of course, the big questions remain:
Does hypnosis really work? Can weight loss hypnosis help you lose weight?
How is One Hypnotized?
Modern hypnosis is vastly different from the idea most people have formed. Unlike the mainstream idea of someone waving something shiny in front of the person they’re trying to hypnotize while chanting ‘you are getting sleepy’, modern hypnosis is more of a medical procedure.
A hypnotherapist is someone who has been certified in hypnosis and usually works in more of a clinic-like setting.
Hypnotherapists will put their patients into a trance like state by using words and images repetitively.
This helps the mind of their patients to become hyper-focused and concentrated, but also extremely suggestible.
It’s at this point that hypnotherapists begin to mold the mind to be more open to losing weight and staying healthy.
What Does Hypnosis Do?
As mentioned above, hypnosis is used to make a persons’ mind extremely focused, but susceptible to suggestion.
When a person is in this state, a hypnotherapist will slowly change the concentration of the patient from food to something more beneficial.
The goal is that once brought out of the trance, the patient won’t dwell on food as much and will be more likely to make healthy food decisions.
Another aspect of weight loss hypnosis is to get the patient more physically active. If the patient is influenced into enjoying activity and exercise more, they will be more likely to lose weight in this way.
And, if they have also been convinced to eat healthily, getting active will help burn the fat off quickly.
Does Hypnosis Work for Weight Loss?
Here’s the big question. Unfortunately, there are a lot of varying opinions on the matter. Some swear by hypnosis, while others believe it’s just another weight loss scam.
However, an unbiased study was recently done on the topic and found that while hypnosis can help weight loss, it isn’t a very effective tool.
Weight loss has not been achieved when hypnosis is the only tool used by patients. There needs to be a combination of exercise and diet to really yield results.
Combined with these commonly used tools, hypnosis works as a complimentary device.
The same study mentioned above showed that the average weight loss for dieters who used hypnosis, along with diet and exercise, only lost an overall weight of six pounds.
Unfortunately, weight loss hypnosis isn’t the magic bullet that it is believed to be by many.
However, the concept of focus and concentration on healthy habits and weight loss goals is a valid tool when trying to lose weight. While it isn’t quite hypnosis, spending time focusing on specific objectives can help people reach their health goals faster.
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